Things To Do In SW Florida

By KELVIN CHAN and SYLVIE CORBET (Associated Press)

PARIS (AP) — French regulators ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12, saying it emits electromagnetic radiation levels that are above European Union standards for exposure. The company disputed the findings and said the device complies with regulations.

The French government agency that manages wireless communications frequencies issued the order after the iPhone 12 recently failed one of two types of tests for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body.

It’s unclear why the phone, which was released in late 2020, didn’t pass the agency’s latest round of tests and why it was only that particular model.

France’s digital minister said the iPhone 12’s radiation levels are still much lower than levels that scientific studies consider could harm users, and the agency itself acknowledges that its tests don’t reflect typical phone use.

The National Frequency Agency on Tuesday called on Apple to “implement all available means to rapidly fix this malfunction” for phones already in use and said it would monitor device updates. If they don’t work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that have already been sold, it said. read more

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT O’BRIEN (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s biggest technology executives on Wednesday loosely endorsed the idea of government regulations for artificial intelligence at an unusual closed-door meeting in the U.S. Senate. But there is little consensus on what regulation would look like, and the political path for legislation is difficult.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who organized the private forum on Capitol Hill as part of a push to legislate artificial intelligence, said he asked everyone in the room — including almost two dozen tech executives, advocates and skeptics — whether government should have a role in the oversight of artificial intelligence, and “every single person raised their hands, even though they had diverse views,” he said.

Among the ideas discussed was whether there should be an independent agency to oversee certain aspects of the rapidly-developing technology, how companies could be more transparent and how the United States can stay ahead of China and other countries. read more

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ tourism oversight district is moving forward with a plan to end a Disney perks program, while working on a “satisfactory alternative” that addresses employee concerns, administrator Glen Gilzean said Wednesday.

The district may increase a proposed $1,425 stipend employees would receive in lieu of the Disney benefits, Gilzean told employees at a budget session.

The district also is exploring a program that would allow employees to directly purchase theme park passes from Disney if they choose, he said.

“We are making significant progress in developing reasonable solutions. … I am dedicated to developing a satisfactory alternative,” Gilzean said.

Further details will be released at a Sept. 27 meeting, he said. Disney did not respond to a request for comment on whether it would agree to let district employees purchase passes directly.

The district also is working on a new benefit that would fully pay employees diagnosed with cancer while they are on sick leave, Gilzean said. read more

Near the edge of sprawling farmlands in southern Miami-Dade County, Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su met with hard-pressed farm and construction workers Wednesday who skipped work to recount their experiences of abuse and harsh conditions in their local workplaces.

Su’s meeting with the workers took place during a quick day trip to South Florida with stops in Homestead and Miami Gardens. It was, she said, an effort to convey to low-income workers that there are baseline workplace standards that employers must meet, such as providing relief from extreme weather conditions and ensuring they’re paid for their labor.

The discussion, which took the form of a private roundtable in the Homestead offices of WeCount!, a 17-year-old advocacy group for worker rights, came after the Biden Administration ordered new steps to protect workers from weather-driven elements. They include a heat hazard alert that notifies employers and employees about ways to shield themselves from extreme heat while ensuring they have access to improved weather forecasts and drinking water. read more